"I hope that we will be seeing a book review on Tales of the Greatest Coin Robberies. Sounds like a fascinating and fun read. What a find. Not knowing the contents makes it that much more fun."

"Aprille Phoole Publishing?"

"Another splendid E-Sylum. I'm so glad that David Pickup informed us all of the new publication from Aprille Phoole Publishing, the Encyclopedia of Slabbed Coins. I hope he will be swamped with orders."

Well, those two pieces were April Fool items. The Tales book actually exists in physical form - it's an old Redbook rebound as a gag item. It's part of my next library consignment to Kolbe & Fanning. Dave Fanning kindly provided the photo. It was earlier in the library of former ANA Governor Ray Byrne, although I've forgotten how and where I obtained this. Fun item.

The French coin with the Sower wearing boxing gloves? Real. -Editor

A Wall Street Journal article by Peter Funt explores the art of pranking. -Editor

A Golden Age of practical joking came between 1920 and 1950, when pranksters were particularly daring. One influential character of the period was the illustrator Hugh Troy, a man who could not tolerate the status quo. He once bought a bench and waited until a cop tried to arrest him as he stole it from the park. While in the military he filed a bogus Daily Flypaper Report, listing every insect caught in the previous 24 hours, and soon the Army demanded similar paperwork from other officers. In 1935 Troy made a fake human ear out of corned beef and placed it in a display box at New York's Museum of Modern Art with a sign: This is the ear which Vincent van Gogh cut off and sent to his mistress, a French prostitute, Dec. 24, 1888. It drew a large crowd.

"But then here was the account of this year's Maundy ceremony at Worcester Cathedral where, in Case Wickman's article, reprinted from Vanity Fair, she refers to the recipients of the Money as ‘giftees', a word not even recognised by my spell-check and insulting to each and every one of the pensioners who to whom the Maundy Purses was given, each selected for their contribution to their local community.

Whilst on the subject of incorrect English, six of the 10 medals you illustrate from Dick Johnson's collection are described as ‘Uncirculated'. Surely ALL medals in the collection are uncirculated as it was never intended for them to enter circulation.

Well, I'm glad I've got that off my chest!"

Agreed - "Awardees" or "Honorees" would be more appropriate for the Maundy ceremonies. As for medals, while not intended for circulation, they can indeed acquire wear and damage over the years, which must be noted in a lot description. Yes, most will remain uncirculated, but there will be exceptions. -Editor

"Just finished reading - and enjoying - the March 31 issue. Delighted to see so much material on areas of my particular interest, such as Byzantina. Great stuff.

"I do have one nit to pick, not with respect to your work, but in the "Maundy Coinage Then and Now" excerpt in the 3/31 issue. The second paragraph quoted in the piece states that "Many sources describe Maundy Thursday as the Christian holy day just before Good Friday, and that it commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. The term maundy refers to the foot-washing ceremony that Jesus Christ originally performed on his disciples."

"Well. "Maundy" does not actually refer to the foot-washing, but to what Jesus said at the time. He told the Apostles "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. In Vulgate Latin, the English "new commandment" is "novum mandatum." The Vulgar Latin mandatum became the Old French mande which became the Middle English Maundy. Mandatum is of course also the root of the English word "mandate."

"A small nit indeed, but language nerds thrive on such things.

"Thanks for all you do in the E-Sylum."

Thanks for setting us straight! -Editor

"Does anyone know of any books or resources that explain the rarity of French medals and jetons? Many of the medals I have are marked with a F. or Fecit which means he made it. I think some of these are actually cast by the engraver himself!!! Or can this also mean an engravers special proof?

Here are some examples. I currently have 108 certified and graded items in my collection and growing. I am working on my own catalog."

Nice medals! 'Fecit' generally refers to the designer or engraver, but not the manufacturer. -Editor